Das Miracle.

Anyone who knows me understands that I am something of a movie freak. I never get to see as many as I would like, and especially living here in Rochester which is the home of motion picture film, it is something of a travesty. Netflix however, has become my great savior in so many ways. I've been able to catch up on a lot of movies that I very well should have seen, but never had either the time or the ability to get around to viewing.

It also provides a great resource of foreign films (foreign to the U.S.) as well. I truly enjoy watching movies from other countries, as it does provide something of a window into other cultures. Still, just as those seeing American movies get perhaps the wrong impression of life here, I'm careful not to think that a movie say, from France, is an exact picture of life there. I just finished seeing a movie that, I know I should have see when it first came out in the early 80's, but never did.

"Das Boot (The Boat)" is nothing short of perfection. It has been hailed as the submarine movie, bar none, and now it's easy to see why it earned that accolade. I watched the director's cut, and while at 3.5 hours it may be too long for some, it was sheer heaven for me. The movie centers around the lives of crew members aboard a German U-boat in 1941, just as the tide was starting to turn against the dominance of U-boats in their fight with England. It's a claustrophobic look at daily life inside these floating tin cans, and the stresses they're up against. It's a miraculous piece of art.

Yes, this was a film about our enemy in WWII, but in the end I found myself rooting for these guys. It sucks you into this world hook, line, and sinker. As I said, it's not going to be for everyone, especially for those Americans that are more used to movies in this genre along the lines of "The Hunt For Red October," which I love by the way, but for different reasons (Sean Connery's horrid Russian accent, or lack thereof, not being one of them.).

Das Boot is most definitely more of a psychological thriller in many ways, and the U-boat is as much a character as are the rest of the crew. You can catch a clip here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATEjQhdfA8U

My advice? Watch the German version with English subtitles. While the dubbed version is done by the same actors, and is very good, I still prefer watching the German version. I still notice in the dubbed version that the actor's mouth movements don't match the dialogue, and this is very annoying to me.

Max Cherry makes good.

Ordell Robbie: This you and me talking, is this like a lawyer-client thing, and you can't repeat nothing I tell you?
Max Cherry: You're not my client until you get busted and I bond you out.
Ordell Robbie: Well, if we ain't got no - what's that shit called? - confidentiality, why should I tell you a thing?
Max Cherry: Because you want me to know what a slick guy you are. You got stewardesses bringing you fifty grand.
Ordell Robbie: Now why would a stewardess be bringing me fifty grand?
Max Cherry: Now you want me to speculate on what you do. My guess is you're in the drug business, except the money's moving the wrong way. Whatever you're into, you seem to be getting away with it, so more power to you.

Those of you that follow this blog with any regularity know that I often talk about the deep amount of artistic talent that is in Rochester. It still never ceases to amaze that for a city of about 210,00 people, it has as much to do artistically in proportion to its size as NYC does. We have a saying here that if you're bored, it's your own fault.

In addition to the great artistic groups, especially the theatre groups, the individual talent is striking. Many have gone on to very successful careers as actors, or in the technical theatre arena. Some have even hit the big time, such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Taye Diggs, and Kristin Wigg.

Enter Robert Forster. Does the name ring a bell? If you're a fan of Quentin Tarantino, in particular of "Jackie Brown," then you'll know that Forster played bail bondsman Max Cherry, who runs afoul of Samuel L. Jackson while trying to help out Pam Grier. The role got Forster nominated for an Academy Award, and while he didn't win it, it revitalized his career. You may have seen him recently on "Heroes," in a recurring role as one of the main character's father.

Forster is also a Rochester native, and was back in town last week to help celebrate the 80th anniversary of The Little Theatre. Known locally as simply "the Little," it is the art house movie theatre here in Rochester, and known for getting many independent films prior to their distribution to the bigger movie conglomerates. It is also a place where Forster spent a lot of his time as a youth, when he wasn't acting on stage around town.

His first film role was with Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor, and if that wasn't enough, he was directed by John Huston, "Reflections In A Golden Eye." More on that later.

Forster received an award from The Little Theatre board of directors for his contributions to film and his support of the Little over the years. The Little also had a special screening of Jackie Brown one evening that was preceded with a talk by Forster, interviewed by noted movie critic Jack Garner.

Forster still has many old friends in the area, many of whom I am friendly with, and one of whom directed me in a play last year. He had breakfast with Forster the day before the Jackie Brown screening, and he mentioned that Blackfriars had built a new theatre, and Forster seemed very interested, as he had attended plays at Blackfriars, though he never acted with us. I began to wonder if he would like a tour of the new theatre, if he had time in his schedule.

I'm friendly with the head of the Little, and asked him if he could arrange an introduction to Forster, after explaining why. He said "Sure, no problem, I think Robert would like that!" I came to the Jackie Brown screening, early enough to catch the interview, and was introduced to Forster. He was, as I had heard about, the nicest guy you could imagine. For all his fame, he has retained a down to earth quality that some lose after gaining a lot of recognition.

He remembered Blackfriars well, and was excited to learn about the new theatre. He peppered me with questions about where we moved from, and what the current seating capacity of the new theatre is. He was pleased to learn that it was smaller, at 126 seats. This seems to be the trend in NYC and LA, to go smaller, not bigger. I asked him about a tour, and while he really wanted to do it, he didn't think he would have the time on this trip. I was expecting as much, as I kind of figured he would be booked up, but he then asked for my contact information so that he could arrange a visit next time he's in town. He comes back fairly often, as two of his daughters still reside here in Rochester, as well as his grandkids.

When the time came for the interview, he gave a great talk, and did a dead on impression of John Huston, recounting the story of his audition. He had never done a movie at that point, and it was his straightforward honesty with Huston that got him the role.

I'm looking forward to the possibility of showing Forster the new Blackfriars when he's in town next. Until then, I'll just remember Max's best line:

I'm 56 years old. I can't blame anybody else for something I did.

Movers and shakers.

I came across a speech given by an leading executive in the investment community that I found rather compelling. It very much sums up a lot of what is going on in American business today, so here is an excerpt:

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality. America, America has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions. Now, in the days of the free market, when our country was a top industrial power, there was accountability to the stockholder. The Carnegies, the Mellons, the men that built this great industrial empire, made sure of it because it was their money at stake. Today, management has no stake in the company!...You own the company. That's right -- you, the stockholder.

And you are all being royally screwed over by these, these bureaucrats, with their steak lunches, their hunting and fishing trips, their corporate jets and golden parachutes."

Rather sobering, isn't it? It is interesting that he uses the term, "In the days of the free market...," suggesting the possibility that those days have past. There has been much interest in that concept today. It has been suggested that the United States is heading away from free market economics that has been the driver of our whole economy since practically the beginning of this country. It is being suggested, that with the government having a large stake in those banks and other industries that have received government bailout money, that we are spiraling towards socialism.

It is an interesting war of words. One is not quite sure who to believe, with everyone shouting out rhetoric on both sides of the political and economic spectrum. The complexities of market economics are such that trying to make sense of it all for the average person is next to impossible. Hell, I have enough problems making sense of my Quicken when I update it. What chance do I have trying to decipher (Federal Reserve Chairman) Bernanke when he is up on Capitol Hill briefing Congress on Federal Reserve policy?

The executive went on to say:

"The new law of evolution in corporate America seems to be survival of the unfittest. Well, in my book you either do it right or you get eliminated."

This has been at the heart of one of the biggest arguments regarding whether or not to save the auto industry. I sometimes wonder if applying a little Darwinian theory is not all that bad a thing. Of course, there is the other side of the argument, just as compelling; the ripple effect if you do let them fail. Is it a legitimate argument? Again, I can't tell. Common sense tells me it is. Common sense also tells me that the opposite has merit. Why should we bail out a failing company that can't get its act together?

The executive then went on and stunned his audience with the following proclamation:

"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.

Greed is right.

Greed works.

Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.

And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."

Teldar Paper? Never heard of it you say? Well, maybe you have heard of it, just as I'm sure you'll recognize the executive who spoke these somewhat prescient words over 20 years ago:

That's right. Gordon Gekko. The model for what has come to be seen as all that is wrong with American business and to perhaps a larger degree, capitalism. In the movie "Wall Street," Gekko is a heartless, cold-blooded reptilian master player on the economic stage. He wrecks a company in the movie because "It was wreckable."

As with most fictional characters, there is a modicum of truth in all of them, and a lot of artistic license. I personally believe in capitalism, in the ability to make money and to be able to do better for one's self-interest. That said, I think think that it also carries a huge amount of personal responsibility as part of that belief, and that self-interest, while important, is not the be all and end all of everything. Self-interest run amok is Enron, it is the housing collapse, it is the bank failures and the auto industry failures.

I don't really believe we are headed towards what would be considered pure socialism, the kind that might be seen in countries in Europe and elsewhere, but I do believe that government is going to play an increasing role in the regulation of business. The trick is going to not interfere so much, that you stifle the very drive and creative fervor that keeps this country afloat. NY State is a perfect micro economic template, with its high tax burden and over-regulatory practices that have been driving businesses away for years. It is not a model that I would want spread to the Federal level, though in so many ways it's already here.

So here's to you Gordon! Is greed good? Probably, in some ways. The unfortunate thing is that greed can become a very slippery slope all too quickly.

Anyone need some more hair gel?

"You call yourself a salesman you son-of-a-bitch?"

After the talking to we received the other day, (see previous post) it started to trigger a memory in my brain that just made me smile.

David Mamet is my favorite playwright. His work is so brutally caustic, so real, that you feel as though you have been through a two hour workout. It is even more so when you get the opportunity to perform one of his pieces, as I was fortunate to do when I was in "The Water Engine," about a year and a half ago. As with so many of Mamet's plays, the American work ethic, and salesmanship is at the heart of it, but the real titanic piece of work that he is known for is "Glengarry, Glen Ross."

The movie version of the play added an extra scene near the begining, in which Alec Baldwin delivers one of the most amazing monologues ever, and is often used by actors as an audition piece. While what happened on Wed. did not rise to the level of what is in this piece, there was a touch of this, a glimpse of what perhaps this corporate guy that came to us really wanted to say, but couldn't. Just watch this, and if you are so inclined, rent the movie. You'll see why I don't want to be a salesman. Oh yes, I know that being the owner of a small business requires salesmanship, but I'll do it my way, without trying to insult the people I want to be my clients.

Just watch it. It's a seven minute roller coaster ride.